Truex Runs Away with Chicagoland Playoff Race

by Ron Fleshman

Nam Y. Huh/AP

JOLIET, IL - RIS - Martin Truex, Jr. proved why he was the regular season champion on Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. Challenges from Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick notwithstanding, Truex ruled the day, especially after mistakes made by Kyle Busch and his crew made the task easier. After Busch won the first stage and Elliott the second, Truex took the lead in the Tales of the Turtles 400 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup race, it was off to the races with Truex leading most of it.

Truex again proved he’ll be the driver to beat over the final nine races as he chases his first Cup championship. Truex raced to his fifth victory of the season and earned an automatic berth in the second round of the playoffs, earning even more points in his bid to compete for the title in the finale at Homestead. Truex had a nearly 7-second lead over runner-up Chase Elliott in the final laps and won at Chicagoland for the second straight season. Kevin Harvick was third, Denny Hamlin fourth and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

The victory guarantees Truex a spot in the second round of the playoffs. It’s his 12th career victory.

“This is awesome, man. I’m so excited,” Truex said. “This is the playoffs — this is what it’s all about.”

Even though others led on Sunday, none of them had anything for Truex in the closing laps.

“I didn’t have anything for Martin,” Elliott said afterward. “But we had just a solid day all the way around.”

When asked of Truex after the race if he’d made a statement with the victory, Truex said, “I don’t really care about statements. I’m just having fun, and I’m proud of this group.”

Kyle Busch led 78 of the first 80 laps to win Stage 1 of the race.

The second race of the NASCAR playoffs comes Sept. 24 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The top 12 drivers after the first three races of the playoffs advance to the Round of 12.

A few playoff drivers dug themselves a bit of a hole in Chicago. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. hit the wall and got a commitment-line violation in the first stage that dumped him back in the field. He battled back, but later got caught speeding on pit road. He finished 25th. Ryan Newman finished 23rd and Kasey Kahne was 21st.